Grain retarder



p 17, 1929' c. c. GRAY 1,728,238

GRAIN RETARDER Filed Nov. 17, 1927 I INVENTOR CARL GRAY 8' I BY ATTORNEYPatented Sept. 17, 1929.

UNITED STATES CARL o. GRAY, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA GRAIN RETARDERThis invention relates tograin cleaning and separating machinery of thetype in which grain is separated, one size and weight from another, bybeing fed into the 5 higher end of an inclined, rotating cyl nder,provided with profusely distributed internal pockets, which, as thecylinder rotates, receive the shorter and heavier grains, and carry themup to a point where they loimay drop into a trough from which they maybe conveyed away, while the larger and lighter grains are dischargedfrom the lower end of the cylinder proper; and the primary object is toprovide means of aprac- 15 tical, eflioient and novel nature, forretarding' the. flow of unseparated grain through the cylinder andcausing the grain to bank back, so that the cylinder will have ampleopportunity to get in contact with the en-' the grainbody before it isdischarged from the cylinder. A further object. is to provide 'means formounting the retarder so that itwill be self adjusting and therebyretain a constant and uniform contact with the cylinder. Another objectis to provide means for regulating the operative position of theretarder'in the cylinder so that it will properly function under variousconchtions and with increased or decreased grain volumes. Still otherand more specific objects will bedisclosed in thecourseof the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Fig. 1 is an 'endelevation of the lower end of a grain separatorcylinder towhich my, improved retarder has been applied, and withfractional portions broken away for purpose of illustration.

Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the lower cylinder portion andimy improvedretarding mechanism, a portion of the cylinder being shown in section.

Fig. 3 isa sectionalelevation, on a reduced scale, through the cylinder,aslooking toward the lower end where the retarder is shown.

Referring to the drawing more particu-' larly and by referencecharacters, 4 designates a cylinderaof the well known type thatisprovided, in its inner surface with Application filed November 17, 1927.Serial No. 233,955.

profusely distributed indents or pockets .5. The cylinder may be carriedon the center shaft 6, but is shown in thepresent instance as mounted.on supportingrollers v7, and for this purpose the cylinder may beprovided, at its extremity, with a reinforcing and rigidifying band 8.It may here be noted that the indentations do not eX- tend to theextreme end of the cylinder, but

terminate a short distance in, thus leaving a path or smooth strip ofinner surface 9, at the end of the cylinder.

Trunnioned on the shaft 6 is a casting 10 that forms a support for oneend of a trough 11 having a lateral extension. or ledge 12, betweenwhich and the cylinder wall there is but a restricted. passage, as shownin F igs; 1 and 3. As the grainis carried up by the cylinder pockets 5,itis dropped on the ledge 12 ordirectly into the trough, and'a conveyorscrew 13 carries it to one end of the trough where it is discharged, asshown in Fig. 2. As some grain will be carried higher than others,itwill be, seen that raising orylowering the trough extension 12 willpartly determine the character of the grain it will receive, but as suchadjustment forms no part of the present invention, it is neither shownnor described.

The separating capacity of thecylinder is determined verylargely by itssize, speed of rotation, inclination, and other conditions over whichthere is more orless control. Under the .most favorable circumstances,however, it is found that a certain amount of the small and'heavier, orchoice grain is not separated out, if its longitudinal flow through thecylinder is not retarded near the lower end thereof, because at suchtime most of the heavier grain has been separated out andwhat remainshas a tendency to pass out with the lightermaterial.

To remedythis condition, I provide a retarder in the form of a verticalplate 14, having an arcuate outenedge that rides on and in close contactwith the path 9 of the cylinder. This plate is pivotally mounted uponthe crank arm of a slightly angular link bar 16, having; another crank17,

at its upper end, that pivots in the arm 18 of collar 19 which, in turn,trunnions on a collar 20 of the casting 10. The collar 19 is providedwith a second arm, 21, that may be connected to similar arms ofcorresponding retarders, of other cylinders placed parallel and in aseries with the cylinder shown, by a connecting bar 22.

The arm 18 is provided with a lever 23 having a pin 24 that isyieldingly and selectively held in any one of a series of apertures 25,in the casting 10, by a spring 26. 'When this pin 1S released and thearm 18 is swung up, until the pin maybe reinserted in a higher oradvanced perforation the plate let is adjusted to the left, as seen inFig. 1,

and by a converse adjustment the plate is moved to the right. It willthus'be seen thatit is a simple matter to move or swing the retarderplate to either the left or right,

and it will also be noted that, by virtue of the connecting bar 22, thisadjustment may be simultaneously made in a series of retarders, and inwhich event 'onlyone lever 23, or similar device, need be used.

' The object of providing the above described adjustmentsfor theretarderplate is to enable the operator to so locate it that it will best serveitspurp'ose under varying conditions. Thus, if the volume of grain to bechecked is light the retarder will best function in a relatively highposition, but i if the volume is relatively great, then it may belowered to a less advanced position. It is of course'understood that Ihave no desire to completely stop the flow of grain from the cylinder.It will'esc'ap'e, as before, but not until it has banked up sufficientlyto flow over the retarder plate. This found, however, that only the veryliglitest grain will so pass over the plate, and that the yetunsegregated heavier kernels will be agitated about in the grain bankuntil it finally settles to the bottom where it enters the pockets andis delivered up into the conveyor trough.

Themost significantfe'ature of the invention is the mounting for-theretarder plate.

To function properly this plate, throughout its entire lower edge, mustbe in close. uniform, and self adjusting contact with the cylinder.Otherwise grain, dust and other particles willwor'k itself between theplate and cylinder, thus losingthe grain bank. Thisbbjection is entirelyovercome by the mechanism previously described. Thus, the

' pivot 17 permits the retarder plate to, raise and lower, under its ownweight 'cont'actwith the cylinder, and does not establish afrigid'connection between the centers 6 and 15;

while the pivot 15 permits the two ends of the plate 14: to fluctuateasmay be required by such irregularities as maybe found in the path 9, Inshort, the retarder plate has a perfect floating action, is entirelyself adj ust ing, as faras cylinder contact is concerned,

and yet is still subject to all the positioned adjustments that arerequired of it.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the generaldesign and structural details of the invention as herein shown anddescribed, provided, however, that such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now therefore fully shown and described my invent-ion, what Iclaim to be new and'desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. Thecombination with a grain treating cylinder, of a self adjusting retarderoperatively positioned so as to yieldingly engage the interior surfaceof the cylinder, saidretarder being arranged substantially transverselyof the cylinder. x

2. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder comprising a retarder platehaving an arcutransversely of and Within the cylinder, and

means for adjusting the plate circumferentially within thecylinder, saidmeans permitting a floating action of the plate with respect to theinner surface of the cylinder.

4. A. retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retarding 1member arranged withinand having an arcuate edge resting upon the innersurface of the cylinder. 1 a I 1 5. Aretarder for a graintreatingcylinder, comprising a' retarding member. arranged within and having acurved edge resting upon the'inner surface of the cylinder, and meansfor adjusting the position of the member.

6. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retardingmember arranged within and resting upon the. inner surface of thecylinder, and a link member pivotally secured to the retarding memberfor adjusting it circumferentially within the cylinder.

7. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retardingmember arranged within and resting upon the inner surface of thecylinder, an adjusting member adj ustable' about the axis of thecylinder, and means forpivotally connecting the adjusting member to theretarding member.

8. A retarder for a grain treating cylinder, comprising a retardingmember arranged within and resting upon the inner surface of thecylinder, an adjusting member adjustable about the axis of the cylinder,

and a link connecting the'adjusting and re tarding members whereby thelatter may have a floating action upon the inner cylinder surface.

.9. A device of the character described, comprising a retarder having anarcuate inner cylinder surface, a relatively stationary plate having anarcuate series of recesses, a sWingable adjusting arm having means forselectively engaging said recesses, and means for connecting said armwith the retarder.

12. The combination With a grain separating cylinder and an axiallyarranged conveyor trough therewithin, of a floating retarder at one endof the cylinder, and means for adjusting the position of the retarder,about the axis of the cylinder, either independently of or together Witha similar adjustment to the conveyor trough.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CARL C. GRAY.

